At their yearly Tribute to Heroes event, Three Fires Council Scouting America recently honored five local women who exemplify service to others through their efforts to help senior citizens.
Held annually at Ashley Farms in Newark, Ill., Tribute to Heroes identifies and honors individuals who are local heroes in their community. This year, Scouts honored Michele Bergeron, Ahanti Brown, Bette Schoenholtz, Penny Glassman, and Betty Ericksen.
•Michele Bergeron is a driving force behind the renewed growth of the Oswegoland Senior and Community Center, leading the center as executive director with vision and compassion. Michelle works to grow and deepen partnerships and strengthen support for senior causes throughout the Oswegoland area. Under her leadership, the center has launched new initiatives to improve the lives of seniors, enhance intergenerational programs and increase access to wellness, social, and educational programs.
•Ashanti Brown has worked at Cedarhurst in a variety of roles, including concierge, resident assistant, housekeeper, and activity professional, and is recognized for her unwavering kindness, commitment and patience as well as the incredible emotional support and encouragement she gives to residents in need. Ashanti greets everyone with a smile, treating everyone with hope and dignity, respect, approachability, passion for her job, empathy to others, trustworthiness, and positivity.
•Bette Schoenholtz has served Senior Services Associates for more than 45 years as an advocate for the needs of seniors and for the rights of the mentally ill.
As executive director of Senior Services Associates, she developed the Kendall County Senior Center in Yorkville and the expansion of the Aurora Senior Center. Through the years, Bette created partnerships with local, state and federal government officials, members of the senior provider networks, and local businesses to leverage as many resources as possible to improve the lives of seniors living in their own homes. Bette is especially mindful of the needs of all vulnerable seniors, especially victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation and has led five offices in three counties in investigating hundreds of abuse cases each year.
Bette is also an active volunteer in her parish and volunteered for many school and church committees while raising her children, including coaching youth basketball team, and as president of the Elgin Noon Kiwanis Club. Bette also served on the boards of the River Valley Workforce Investment Board and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, DeKalb, Kane-South, and Kendall Counties.
•Penny Glassman has been a care coordinator for 20 years and helped hundreds of Kendall County seniors remain in their homes as independently as possible. She assists Seniors in receiving needed services such as home delivered meals, and emergency home response buttons, giving family members peace of mind that their loved one could get needed assistance if they had an emergency such as a fall. Penny also referred seniors to homemaking agencies who assist older adults with activities of daily living.
Penny’s thoughtfulness does not stop when she leaves work, always helping others in her neighborhood, social circle, and church community.
•Betty Erickson developed and served as the adult day service director at Fox Valley Community Services where she was a tireless advocate for care for seniors in their last days. Betty then helped develop a second Adult Day Center in Dekalb, Ill. where adults impacted with memory loss, Alzheimer’s Parkinson’s and other ailments could be safe and well cared for throughout the day. Because of Betty’s passion for helping others, countless families have been able to better care for their loved ones towards the end of life. Betty’s honor was accepted by her two daughters on her behalf, as Betty passed away earlier this month.
Three Fires Council, Scouting America is proud to honor these incredible women for their service to others, as they continue to teach character values to youth from kindergarten through 20 years of age. The organization is incredibly grateful to the many donors who have given more than $13,000 to the scouting program for the youth in this county.
For more information about the annual Tribute to Heroes event, and Scouting opportunities for youth, visit threefirescouncil.org. To donate to help promote scouting and the Tribute to Heroes project annually, visit kendallheroes.givesmart.com.
Barb Nadeau is a freelance writer, who has served in a variety of capacities throughout her career, including public relations, television producer and host, on air radio host, print journalist, and in the non-profit sector networking among a variety of social service agencies and service providers throughout the state of Illinois. She is also serving her hometown of Plano Illinois as an elected alderman. Contact Barb at bvnadeau@gmail.com.